Shortcake
by Measured
Summary: Day in and day out Kyoko appeared. Bickering and prickly, her constant presence was almost as much a threat as it was a promise. Kyoko/Sayaka. End of anime spoilers alluded to.


Title: Shortcake  
Series: Puella Magi Madoka Magica  
Character/pairing: tsundereish Kyoko/Sayaka  
Rating: PG-13  
Author's note: fic_promptly: Kyoko/Sayaka, strawberry shortcake set after the anime in the world where witches no longer exist, except on a variation that Sayaka lived.

**.**

Sayaka picked a shady spot outside the school, her bag slung low across her shoulders. Hitomi wasn't spending too much time with her these days. Every minute of her free time was spent with Kamijou. From walking together hand-in-hand to school, to lunch and long calls that left nothing but a busy signal whenever she tried to call either of them. They were wrapped up in their own world, their own happiness, something that Sayaka wasn't a part of.

She'd given up on him, but losing Hitomi day by day ripped open the scars and made them hurt again. She'd be lying if she said it didn't make her angry, make her want to punch a wall like Kyoko, or walk home alone feeling empty, but a little voice inside her pushed her on. _Don't lose hope. You are loved. Don't give up!_

So she just kept fighting, and when Mami wasn't around, she spent her time alone. Before sadness could overcome her, the seed of hope would rise within her.

Considering that she never knew when the Wraiths might attack, she ate dessert first these days.  
She opened up the little piece of shortcake she'd gotten at the corner store, covered in fluffy white topping and pink syrup. The sound of crunching on the grass made her look up, only to catch a flash of red. When she looked back down, half her cake was gone.

"Hey, that's mine!"

"As usual, you're just too slow," Kyoko said through a mouthful of food. "You snooze, you lose."

Sayaka grimaced and pulled what was left of her cake closer to herself.

"You're sitting alone again," Kyoko said. She licked her lips and gave Sayaka a fierce, searching glance. Sayaka prickled under her scrutiny. Who was Kyoko of all people to judge her?

"Maybe I like sitting alone, did you ever think of that?" Sayaka said, irritation creeping into her voice.

"Sure you do," Kyoko said. She tried to take another bite of the cake, but Sayaka swatted at her hand and shoved the rest of the cake in her mouth. She stuck her tongue out at Kyoko, not caring that she still had traces of food on it.

"He's got no taste, throwing you over like that. But he's a wuss, anyways. I bet a guy like him would look better in that skirt than that girl does," Kyoko said.

"You're the one with no taste! Going around, insulting people and talking about breaking legs like some bully—" Sayaka leaned in, rage making her voice tense. "And that I can't forgive you for. You're really the worst!"

For a moment, Kyoko looked pained, as if she'd been slapped. But in a second, her familiar catlike predatory grin was back, like that hint of a girl beneath the flames had never been.

"Like I said, I haven't got time for all your stupid little drama. _Somebody _ has to defeat the Wraiths," Kyoko said.

"Mami and I do fine," Sayaka said tightly.

"Real fine with the way I had to save you last time," Kyoko said. She reached her hand into Sayaka's bag and pulled out a bottle of ramune before Sayaka could stop her, she'd already opened it. The marble inside clattered as Kyoko leaned back and guzzled it down.

"Really, we're fine!" Sayaka said again. Kyoko kept staring at her lips.

"What? You're looking at me like I have a second head again."

"Your face is all dirty," Kyoko said. Before Sayaka could say anything, Kyoko leaned in and licked the cream and crumbs from her mouth. Her tongue grazed Sayaka's lips, in a way which was startlingly sensual and warm. Sayaka drew back, her face burning. Kyoko was Ismirking/I and licking her lips, no less. In a fit of rage, Sayaka crushed the plastic container in Kyoko's hair. Crumbs whipped cream smashed into her ponytail, and fell around her chin and cheeks.

Kyoko let out a growl and tackled her, pushing her to the ground hard enough to almost knock the breath out of her. Kyoko pinned Sayaka down with her weight, her messy red hair falling into her face. Her face was in close, a glint of fire in her barely contained features.

"See, you're too weak! You're gonna get picked off by the Wraiths, and I won't always be there to protect you!"

"I don't _need _ your protection!"

She pushed at Kyoko's chest hard enough to push her off, only to realize that she'd in essence accidentally groped her in the process. Blushing harder than ever, Sayaka balled her fists to try and tried to forget the surprisingly soft feel of Kyoko's chest. It only brought to mind how close Kyoko had been, the feel of her tongue over her lips.

Kyoko pushed herself up from her knees, and wiped off the dust from her shorts.

"What, you want to go? We're already outside," Kyoko said with a smirk. She brushed the crumbs from her hair and tossed her ponytail. "I could beat you five ways to Thursday before the bell even rang."

All she would have to do was pull out her Soul Gem and tangle with Kyoko. To teach her a lesson for stealing her cake and insulting her friends.

A hint of green and a giggle and she caught sight of them from her side vision. They were walking by, and didn't even notice her. Kamijou rubbed at the back of his neck as Hitomi looked adoringly up at him. Something within her deflated. Kyoko would always be infuriating and taunting her. If she saw her the next day, she'd probably be there eating her food and settling it with fists.

Sayaka stepped back. "...No," she said.

Kyoko scoffed. "That's so boring, pining after a fool who can't even see the kind of treasure that's right I front of him."

"I'm not—Wait, the what?" Sayaka said.

Kyoko blushed suddenly. "Nothing, shut your trap!"

"It doesn't matter, anyways," Sayaka said. She picked up the remains of her lunch and wadded the bag up in her hands. Kyoko had already pulled out more food to devour from her own bag. A green tea pocky hung from the corner of her mouth like a cigarette.

"You don't need jerks like them, anyways," Kyoko said.

"Instead of jerks like you?" Sayaka said.

Kyoko grimaced, a mutter of something imperceptible. Sayaka wasn't listening. If she were to look at her Soul Gem, would it be darker simply because love had passed her by and taken nearly everything dear to her?

_Don't give up hope_ said the bit of light inside her. As she began to step away, Kyoko's voice rose up above the doubt and hope which battled within her.

"Hey, Sayaka...there's another nest of Wraiths down near the warehouses. Don't you go taking it on without me."

Sayaka turned back and lifted her chin defiantly. "I'll purify more of them than you could dream of doing."

"Is that a challenge?" Kyoko said. She grinned, snapping the piece of pocky at the side of her mouth.

Sayaka nodded.

"I'll hold you to it! See you there," Kyoko said.

Past the painful reminder of Kamijou and Hitomi, Kyoko blotted them out with a toss of her red ponytail, until all she could see was Kyoko's swaggering walk and all she could remember was tussling and accidental touching, and the sweet taste of cake.

Day in and day out Kyoko appeared. Bickering and prickly, her constant presence was almost as much a threat as it was a promise. But as sure as the hope in her heart which kept her from sinking under, she knew that Kyoko would be there to insult her, to shake her out of her sadness in a very literal sense. Another fight for another day? Bring it on. She'd beat Kyoko again for sure this time.


End file.
